John's Journey
by weewam
Summary: John reluctantly begins his journey as a Pkmn trainer in order to win money to save his mother. Chapter 3 up. R&R please.
1. Chapter: 1

John's Journey  
  
This is a fanfic, so all the usual disclosures apply. I don't own Pkmn, just this story. But enough about that. You want to read the story, so here it is.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The wind whistled sharply as it blew through the trees on the arena. Two young men stood on opposite sides of the 100-foot long battlefield, and waited impatiently for the ref to signal the beginning of the match. Hundreds of eyes watched the figure as he slowly walked to the side of the field into the referee's box. An eternity seemed to pass until -  
  
DING!!  
  
The bell rang, signaling the start of the highly anticipated Pkmn League Championship match. The crowd roared with delight as the two powerful trainers each grabbed a small, red-and-white ball from their belts and tossed them onto the field. Two brilliant red flashes seared the eyes of the onlookers before solidifying into large and monstrous forms.  
  
On one side stood a large, menacing beast that swung its four arms around in intricate patterns before turning to its opponent and beckoning it forward. The other creature stood even taller, if standing was what you could call it. The beast was longer than its opponent was tall, and lay on the ground like a snake. Its mouth opened wide enough to fit a man in whole. The blue scales covering its body glinted brightly in the sunlight as it slithered forward to attack its enemy.  
  
"I think the Gyarodos will win for sure," a redheaded boy of 14-years remarked, as he pointed to the long, blue snake. "What do you think, Gregg?"  
  
The redhead's companion thought before answering. "I don't know, John. Gyarados does have a size and weight advantage, but Machamp easily beats it when it comes to pure strength. I'm going with Machamp." The four-armed monster on the field seemed to prove his point as it bodily lifted the bulky Gyarados and threw it at the ground with enough force to create a sizable impression.  
  
The two boys settled back in their seats to enjoy the match from the safety of the stands. It soon became apparent though, that, despite the heroic performance the Gyarados put forth, it was clearly overmatched. Its angry charges at the Machamp were stopped repeatedly by the awesome defensive skills of its opponent. Constant punches and kicks by the fighting-type soon wore down the Gyarados until it was gasping for breath. Trees were uprooted as Gyarados crashed into them. Surprisingly, throughout all of this, Gyarodos' trainer kept a smile on his face.  
  
"Machamp, lets finish this. Rock throw!"  
  
At hearing its owner's command, Machamp seized one of the many rocks that were strewn about on the field and lifted it high over its head. Just before he threw it though, there came a yell.  
  
"Gyarados, this is it! Use Hyper Beam! Now!"  
  
Immediately, Gyarados opened its mouth and began building its energy. Surprised, Machamp forgot what it was supposed to be doing and just stared at the snake-like beast. When its trainer called however, it remembered the gigantic rock it was holding above its head and prepared to heave it at Gyarados.  
  
But it was too late.  
  
Finished drawing the enormous energy from within itself, Gyarados reared back to its full height. It towered over the super-strong Machamp, who flinched in fear of what was to come. An enormous beam of intense white light blasted from the depths of Gyarados' mouth and propelled itself with lightning speed at the cowering fighting-type. The beam of energy seemed to be absorbed by Machamp's body for a second before a tumultuous explosion blasted him off his feet. He flew nearly the length of the arena before falling heavily to the Earth. Gyarados roared in triumph.  
  
The crowd gasped. With only a single blow, the Gyarados had turned the tables around and defeated the undefeatable. Machamp gasped for air and struggled to get up to continue the battle, but failed. It collapsed heavily to earth and fainted. Paramedics rushed onto the field to assist it.  
  
Gregg turned to John. "That was unbelievable," he said. "Gyarados took him out with one hit. I thought it was going to lose for certain, but it sure showed me."  
  
John grinned at his best friend. "I told ya he was going to win. Didn't I tell you he was going to win? I thought I did. Oh, wait, yeah, I did!" He laughed at his friend.  
  
Gregg crossed his arms and turned away, a sour expression on his face. "Quit bragging," he grumbled. "So Gyarados won, big deal. It was still really close."  
  
"Yeah, it was," John agreed. "It was a really good match." He sighed as people around them started getting up to leave. "Come on, let's go find your Dad."  
  
* * * * *  
  
An hour later, the two friends managed to find the exit to the stadium. The crowd was huge, and they had trouble reaching it. Finally though, they reached the exit. "Where did you say your Dad was going to be?" asked John.  
  
"Oh, he said to meet him in the Pkmn Center in town. It's not too far from here, only like a fifteen minute walk."  
  
"Okay," said John. "I'll call my sister when we get there and have her pick me up."  
  
They walked in silence for a few minutes before John said, "Thanks for inviting me to the battle. I had a lot of fun."  
  
Gregg nodded. "It's no big deal. You should thank my Dad, he's the one who bought the tickets. Man, were they expensive. You should have seen the prices for one ticket, let alone two."  
  
John stiffened. "Listen, I'll pay you back, or rather, I'll pay your Dad back. I'll get the money somehow."  
  
Gregg shook his head. "Listen man, it's okay. You don't need to pay us back. I mean, where are you going to get the money?"  
  
"I don't know," John mumbled. "All the money I make working at fast-food restaurants goes towards my mother's operations so we have nothing extra. But somehow or other, I will get the money," he said determinedly.  
  
"Listen, it's okay. We already have more money than we need, so it's no big deal." Gregg couldn't understand why John was making such a big deal out of this. "Think of it as a gift," he said.  
  
"It's not that," replied John. "It's . . . well, look, I'm going to pay you back. Just leave it at that." When Gregg looked over at him, he recognized the determined look on John's face. When he got that look, Gregg knew there was no stopping him. He shrugged his shoulders in defeat.  
  
They continued on in silence. As they finally reached the entrance to Viridian City, Gregg noticed a small sign on the side of the road. He paused for a moment to read it.  
  
"Come one, come all, to the annual Pkmn League Tournaments. Battle your prized Pkmn against the best of the best to see how you rank in comparison to all those other elite trainers. Top prize is $500,000 and the chance to battle against the ultimate Masters - the Elite Four! Hurry in today and reserve your spot in the Tournaments."  
  
"Hey, look at this!" Chris called excitedly to John. "There might be a way to get the money after all. It says here, 'Top prize is $500,000.' With that kind of money, you could not only pay back my Dad, but also pay for your mother's operations."  
  
John shook his head. "I don't have a Pkmn, moron. You need one to enter." He sighed and started back down the road.  
  
Gregg hurried to catch up. "That's not a problem," he panted. "My father knows the famous researcher, Prof Oak. Oak gives out Pkmn to anyone who wants to become a trainer. Just pass the official Pkmn Training License Test and you can become a trainer. I'm sure my Dad can use his connections with Oak to set up a meeting between you two."  
  
John looked thoughtful as he listened to Gregg. "You might be onto something here, Gregg." He paused for a moment before saying determinedly, "Alright, I'll do it. I'll become a Pkmn Trainer. But you're coming with me."  
  
"Me? Why me?" asked Gregg.  
  
"Because it was your idea. Because I'm not going alone. Because I'll pummel you if you don't. Take your pick."  
  
Gregg sighed. "Alright. I'll do it."  
  
"Okay then," said John briskly. "Now let's go meet up with your Dad."  
  
The two friends turned and headed into Viridian City, about to begin the journey of their lives.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Okay, since you just took the time to read all of that nonsense, you might as well spend a few more minutes writing a review. Don't forget to sign it so I know who the flames are coming from! *Swings fire poker* 


	2. Chapter: 2

John's Journey  
  
Chapter 2  
  
The old, worn-out pickup truck rattled down the hard dirt road, leaving a cloud of dust behind it. The peeling blue paint and the squeaks emanating from the engine gave telltale clues as to the condition of the vehicle. _Sick_ and _dying_ were the words that came to mind of a person looking at it for the first time. As the truck pulled up into the driveway of an even more beaten-down single story house, it became apparent that _sick_ and _dying_ didn't just describe the truck – the house was in worse condition than Ol' Blue.  
  
The truck screeched to a halt on the uneven pavement of the driveway. Steam hissed from underneath the hood. The driver's side door opened and a beautiful girl of about 20 years hopped out, staring disdainfully at the car.  
  
"I really hope you win, John," she said with a hint of vehemence. "I...hate...this stupid...truck!" She emphasized each word with a hard kick to the side of the truck, leaving five sizeable indentions.  
  
The other door opened, and John stepped out. "Well, gee, Skye, kicking it isn't going to make it any better."  
  
As if to spite his words, though, the hissing steam stopped abruptly. Skye gave him a smug look.  
  
"Oh, really?"  
  
John sighed and ignored her. Grabbing his bag from he bed of the truck, he made his way up to the steps, watching his step to avoid the many holes that various animals, such as Digletts and Dugtrios kept making. He reached the doorway and grasped the handle, swearing loudly when it refused to open. He gave a mighty, two-handed tug, and succeeded in ripping the door off its hinges.  
  
"Geez!" he exclaimed. "Everything is falling apart around here! The truck, the house, Mom..." His voice trailed off as he thought of his mother, lying in the intensive care department of a local hospital. One of the millions of people in the world with cancer, the doctors' prognosis for her recovery was not good. They believed she had a year left, maybe two. She was the real reason for John's decision to go on this Pkmn quest.  
  
A single tear formed in John's eye as he thought of his mother. He turned his head and surreptitiously wiped it away before Skye could see it. How embarrassing it would be if his older sister had caught him crying like a baby! He shook his head and smiled to himself.  
  
With a grunt of effort, John succeeded in replacing the door in its frame. His sister joined him on the steps and looked at it. "Good job, macho- man. But we're gonna need to replace it anyway." They both sighed, and then headed inside.  
  
As John and Skye entered the house, a brilliant yellow streak raced by them. John barely had time to think, Was that a Pikachu?, before a larger streak of tan and gold blew by him in pursuit of the first.  
  
"Hey, get back here!" he shouted. He and Skye tore after the Pkmn, chasing them through their house in a vain attempt to restore order. Finally, John managed to grab hold of the yellow blur and swing it into his arms. He held it at arms length, with an exclamation of, "Hey! It is a Pik-"  
  
At that moment the Pikachu released a Thundershock attack that traveled straight through John's body, shocking him into releasing the electric mouse. He fell down, twitching spasmodically, his dark brown hair sticking out in all directions. The Pikachu fell to the floor and raced out of the house, closely followed by his pursuer.  
  
Skye ran into the room and skidded to a halt as she caught sight of her bother. Giggling violently at the sight, she handed him the phone. "It's for you," she said between tears of mirth.  
  
John grunted his thanks and grabbed the phone. "Yeah?" he asked harshly, speaking into the receiver. "Who is it?"  
  
On the other end, Gregg answered, "It's me. Your one true love."  
  
John grinned and lost his angry demeanor. "Oh, hey Gregg. Have you talked to your dad yet?"  
  
"Yeah. He's already set up a meeting with Prof Oak and us for tomorrow. He said he'll swing by at about 10 to pick you up. Fortunately, Oak doesn't live to far away. Actually, he's only in Pallet Town."  
  
"Pallet Town?" John echoed. "That's just south of here." He paused, thinking to himself. "Okay," he said finally. "I'll be here at 10, waiting. See you tomorrow."  
  
"Bye."  
  
John hung up the phone and flopped down on his couch, which sagged considerably under the strain of putting so much weight on broken legs. _Tomorrow_, thought John. _I'm going to become a Pkmn Trainer! And when I do, we're gonna make sure you get better, Mom._

_---------------------------------------------------_

At ten o'clock the next morning, John sat on his front steps waiting for Gregg and his father to pick him up. They were half an hour late, causing everyone to be anxious about whether they were going to make it in time. Fortunately, the ghettos where John lived were towards the southern end of Viridian City, meaning that they didn't have very far to drive to get to Pallet.  
  
The hour-long drive passed mostly in silence. The two friends both discussed which Pkmn they planned on getting, but the boys' nervousness got the better of them, and they fell quiet in a few minutes. The bumpy road, and the fluttering nervousness in the pit of his stomach was all that kept John from falling asleep.  
  
The first sign that they had entered Pallet Town was the fact that the road became much smoother, and the dense trees that had been on either side the road thinned out considerably. In the distance, everyone could see the brilliant white buildings of Pallet Town, including the noticeably larger building that housed Prof Oak Laboratories.  
  
Gregg's father parked the car in the parking lot of the esteemed Oak Laboratories and all three of them got out. As they started towards the main doors, an old man with short white hair and wearing a long white lab coat hurried out to meet them.  
  
"Welcome, welcome," he said excitedly. "It's good to see you again, Mr. Smith. I'm always happy to meet with one of my largest contributors."  
  
The two youngsters stood awkwardly off to the side until Gregg's father (Mr. Smith) and Oak were finished talking. Oak turned to them and said, "Well, let's see now, what do we have here? I take it you two are the ones who are interested in becoming Pkmn trainers?" John and Gregg nodded nervously, and Oak smiled. "Well, then," he said, "if you'll just follow me."  
  
He led the group into the lab and handed both John and Gregg a packet of paper. He explained that these were simple tests that, once taken, allowed a person to officially become a Pkmn trainer.  
  
An hour passed in silence as John and Gregg sat through their tests. John's mind whirled as he read through the questions, some difficult, but most of them simple. There was one that absolutely stumped him, and he ended up guessing the answer to it, certain that it was wrong.  
  
At the end of the hour, he and Gregg turned in the tests to Oak. A knot formed in the pit of John's stomach as Oak passed them through an electronic scorer. He closed his eyes and thought to himself, Please, oh please, let me pass, for my mother.  
  
Oak finished scoring the tests and turned to the two friends. He handed Gregg his test first. "Good job, Gregg. You passed with an outstanding score! One of the highest I've ever seen, and certainly the highest since the elite Master Ash Ketchum. 96% is your score."  
  
Gregg gave a cry of triumph and leapt into the air in joy. He turned to John and extended his hand for a high five.  
  
John returned it halfheartedly. Sure, he was happy for Gregg, but the anxiety he felt prevented him from truly enjoying the moment with his friend. He looked at Oak, his eyes pleading a silent entreaty for some sign of how well he did. Oak returned his gaze with a steady, unrevealing stare.  
  
"Frankly, I'm surprised at your score, John," he said. "Normally, I have extremely good instincts about people. I judge them very well. However, in this case, I seem to have been mistaken."  
  
John stiffened at these words from Oak. Was it possible? Could he have failed the test? He felt Gregg start in surprise at his side. John stared at the floor in dismay. Oh no, he thought to himself. I'm sorry Mom. I've failed you before I've even begun.

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Well, I thought I might leave it as a cliffhanger. Though, it's not much of one if you think about it. I mean, what kind of story would it be if the main character fails before he's even begun his quest? Wait for the next chapter to find out. Oh yeah, and don't forget to R&R. 


	3. Chapter: 3

John's Journey  
  
A/N: I want to thank TopazSoarhire for her rather humbling reviews. All I can say is that I have my moments. And thank you for the constructive criticism. I will keep your comments in mind. Thanks again.  
  
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Chapter 3  
  
Gregg and his father exchanged worried looks behind John's back. John couldn't fail this, not now, not when he needed it the most. And Gregg knew he couldn't make the journey alone; if John wasn't going, then he wasn't either.  
  
John's head swam, making him dizzy as he thought of all the possibilities. Without this chance to become a Pokemon Trainer, he had no chance to save his mother! Tears formed in his eyes, blurring his vision as he silently berated himself. Stupid, stupid, stupid, he thought morosely. If only I had done better.  
  
He was so busy rebuking himself that he almost missed Oak's next words. He looked up in time to see a smile flit across the old Professor's face. He rocked back, hurt and confused by the seeming amusement that Oak had for John's misfortunes.  
  
"You misunderstand me, John," Oak said gently. "You passed, with the highest score that I have ever seen. When I said that I was mistaken in my judgment of you, I meant that I didn't think you would do as well as you did."  
  
Shocked, John just stared at the man. "You old fart," he finally said, his face breaking into a wide grin. "So are you saying that you thought I was stupid?"  
  
"Not at all," Oak laughed. "You have a certain air about you that told me you would do well. But no one has ever scored a perfect paper before."  
  
With that, he handed John his paper back, free of any of the blemishes that came with wrong answers. Oak was right, it was a perfect paper. John stared in astonishment at it, realizing that with this paper came his chance to be a real Pokemon Trainer.  
  
And the chance to save my mom, he thought, surprised to discover that, in the joy of the moment, he had completely forgotten about her.  
  
Gregg and John turned as one to face the Professor. The old man beckoned them to follow him down a long hallway that had dozens of doors on either side branching off in both directions. He stopped in front of one near the end of the hallway that a bronze plaque above it with the words 'Pokemon Storage' stenciled upon it in raised letters. He turned to face the teens with a grave look on his face.  
  
"Now that you both have passed the official Pokemon League Trainers License test," he said, "I am pleased to present you with several different items. First, you each receive a Pokedex, an electronic device that automatically records information on Pokemon that you have seen or caught. It is a valuable tool that has information for beginning trainers on battle tips, catching Pokemon, and raising them. You will find a very handy item to have with you on your quests, so keep them with you at all times. They also contain your license, another reason to have it around."  
  
He handed them both a small, red device that had the word 'Pokedex' written across it.. Gregg ad John tool them with smiles on their faces.  
  
"Next, you get Pokegears, another helpful tool. It has a map of Kanto Island, and can show you where each and every gym is. It also acts a communications device. Just type the phone number of the person that you are trying to call in using these buttons-" he pointed to several small buttons on the watch-like device, "-and you can instantly connect with them from anywhere in the world using sophisticated satellite technology. And as an added bonus, it tells the time! Hence, the watch-like appearance." He handed the Pokegears to the teens, who eagerly accepted these gifts too.  
  
In addition to the Pokedex and Pokegears, Gregg and John received small backpacks for storing items, as well as several tiny red and white balls used for catching wild Pokemon, known as Pokeballs, some small Potions and Antidotes to restore health, and a variety of other equipment that would come in handy. The boys thanked the old Professor profusely, but he waved it off.  
  
"Don't worry about it," he said with a smile. Besides, it's all paid for."  
  
At this, John stiffened. He slowly turned to face Gregg's father, who stood with a sheepish look on his face.  
  
"I told you not to tell them, Oak!" he said angrily. "You don't know how he gets around money..."  
  
His voice trailed off as he caught sight of John's determined expression. "Now look here, John, I don't expect nor want you to pay me back. This is a gift, just like the tickets to the Pokemon Championship Match were. Okay?"  
  
John shook his head. No, I'm going to pay you back, sir. I don't take gifts."  
  
Gregg's father began to grow angry. "Now listen here, son, any money you give me, I'm just going to throw away. Got it? Besides, you need all of it to help your mother. I thought that was why you were going on this "quest" to begin with?"  
  
John nodded reluctantly. "Fine," he grumbled. "I'll think of it as your contribution to my mother getting well."  
  
"Good."  
  
Oak watched this exchange with a curious expression on his face. However, he knew it wasn't his place to ask, so he let it go and continued on with his speech.  
  
"Erhem. Well, anyway, those aren't your only gifts. I have one of my own, for each of you. It's rather essential for the beginning trainer."  
  
With that, Professor Oak opened the door behind him. John and Gregg stared in amazement over his shoulder as they stumbled after him into the room. It was filled with shiny, stainless steel shelves from one wall to the other. And lined up side by side on these shelves were placed dozens of the red and white Pokeballs that Gregg and John and just received from the Professor.  
  
From behind them, he said, "My gift, as you can see, is your very own starting Pokemon."  
  
He led them over to a computer in the corner, hidden by the huge shelves. He sat down in a chair before the computer and swiveled it around to face the two youngsters. "We have about twenty different types of Pokemon for you to choose from. Lately, the most popular choice has been Eevee, most likely because of the wide range of possible evolutions that it can take. I'm going to run through the list now, so stop me when you see the one you want."  
  
Gregg and John stared over the Professor's shoulder at the screen as images began to scroll by. Gregg tapped his shoulder as the screen showed the picture of a small brown dog-like Pokemon. The name Eevee read across the top of the image.  
  
"So that's the Eevee you were talking about, huh? Looks pretty strong..." His voice trailed off as he mused over the possibilities.  
  
Oak continued down the list, new Pokemon appearing every few seconds. He waited just long enough for the new trainers to get a glimpse of the Pokemon and think it over. Charmander flashed by, then Squirtle and Bulbasaur. Cyndaquil, Totodile, and Chikorita appeared as well. John hesitated at Mankey, as if unsure whether he wanted it or not. He shook his head at Abra, Meowth, Pichu, and Eevee. They were nearing the end of the list now, and John still hadn't chosen his Pokemon.  
  
Suddenly, John's hand flashed out and grabbed Oak's shoulder. "Stop," he commanded.  
  
Startled, Oak did as he was told. He glanced from the screen to John's face to confirm his choice. He was startled again at the intense look John wore. He was obviously determined to have this Pokemon. Oak looked back at the screen.  
  
Dratini's face stared back at him.  
  
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Ten minutes later, John and Gregg emerged from the building into the bright, sunlit afternoon, each sporting a Pokeball clipped to a new Trainer belt. John had received his Dratini, while Gregg had gone with the popular choice and taken Eevee. They both retrieved the balls from their belts and tossed them onto the ground.  
  
Two brilliant red flashes seared John's eyes, reminding him of the tournament match that he saw yesterday. The beams of light solidified into two different shapes, one, a small, brown dog with a ring of white fur around its neck, and the other, a short, blue snake that had a red crystal set in its forehead.  
  
"Dratini, huh?" said Gregg, looking at the snake. "Good choice. But I definitely think that Eevee is the stronger. Plus, its got a lot of cool evolutions."  
  
John snorted. "So? Draco and I can easily crush you."  
  
Gregg looked up in surprise. "Draco?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah," responded John. "That's what I'm calling him. Is that okay with you?" The last bit he directed toward the Dratini.  
  
Draco nodded his head viorously. "Dratini, dratiniiiiiii!" it called.  
  
"Well, it definitely looks happy," laughed Gregg. He grew quiet suddenly. "Hey, John," he said in a cocky tone, "I bet my Eevee could beat your Dratini."  
  
"What!? No way! You're on pal!"  
  
Excitedly, the two friends both drew back about twenty paces. With a snap of his fingers, John ordered his Dratini forward. "Let's go get him, pal."  
  
The Dratini gave him a rather disdainful look, then slithered forward to engage the Eevee in battle. John looked hurt at first, then shook it off.  
  
"Okay, let's do this, Draco!" he shouted. He was about to issue an attack, when it occurred to him that he didn't know what he was doing. What were Dratini's attacks? Eagerly, he consulted his Pokedex.  
  
"Dratini," a monotonous voice said. "The dragon Pokemon. Thought to be a mythicial Pokemon until a few years ago, this Pokemon is extremely hard to raise. A proud and independent race, Dratini rarely submits to a human's will. The only exceptions to this are very powerful trainers, the most noticeable being the Blackthorn Gym Leader, Claire, and the Elite Four member, Lance."  
  
After reading this John grew a bit worried. Only really powerful trainers could make great partners out of dragon Pokemon? Trainers like Lance and Claire? John knew that he would never be able to measure up to the likes of them, which was why he worried that e might have made a bad choice with his starting Pokemon.  
  
"Eevee, Tail Whip, now!"  
  
Startled, John looked away from the Pokedex in time to see Gregg's Eevee flip around and whack Draco in the face. Draco yelped and slithered backward, away from Eevee.  
  
"Dang it!" John muttered. In his worry over Draco and his ability as a trainer, he had completely forgotten about the battle! Hurriedly, he shouted a basic attack to Draco.  
  
"Draco! Tackle, now!" Draco gave John another disdainful look, and then deliberately turned his back to him. Instead of a tackle attack, Draco mimicked Eevee's Tail Whip assault. Draco's blue tail slashed across the smaller Pokemon's face. The Eevee fell back, clearly in pain from the force of the attack.  
  
"Hey! That's not what I said, Draco! But...I guess, that works as well." John's anger evaporated when he saw the damage that Draco had inflicted with the Tail Whip. "But could you listen to me next time?"  
  
Draco blatantly ignored him.  
  
Meanwhile, Gregg was mixed between laughter at Jon's dilemma, and concern for his Eevee. The small animal struggled to its feet and glared defiantly at Draco. "Good job, Eevee. Now, try a-" Here, Gregg glanced down at his Pokedex, where a list of Eevee's attacks were shown. Unfortunately, that list was rather short. "Try a Tackle, Eevee!"  
  
Eevee gathered itself together, then sprang wildly towards its opponent. It gathered speed as it raced toward the snake. Draco, who was glaring at its trainer, never saw the attack coming. It took the Tackle head on.  
  
The force of the hit threw Draco high into the air. He soared about twenty feet before roughly hitting the ground and fainting.  
  
Gregg grinned in triumph as John raced for his fallen partner.  
  
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End file.
